This invention relates to missiles adapted so that a high proportion of the damage inflicted on a target is caused by the kinetic energy of the missile.
A missile is capable of destroying a target on impact without recourse to explosives provided the missile has sufficient means and impacts the target at sufficient speed. A missile of this type in which a high proportion of the damage inflicted on a target is caused by the kinetic energy of the missile is referred to as a missile having a kinetic energy warhead. It will be appreciated however that components of the missile other than the warhead itself will contribute to the total kinetic energy of the missile. A missile with a kinetic energy warhead has many desirable aspects; it eliminates the complexity, unreliability and costs associated with safety and arming and with fuzing, and all risks arising from premature detonations.